GUEST POST~ Discipleship Principles vs. Methodology

New blog post from Bob Logan

Methods, approaches, and styles change over time. Different strategies work in different seasons. Trends in ministry come and go. Yet I wonder: among all the change, what stays the same? As the culture shifts and changes around us, what proven principles remain firm and reliable? Applying those principles to discipleship methodologies can help your church grow more and better disciples. So, what are discipleship principles?

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” —Isaiah 40:8

6 Principles of Discipleship

When you study the way Christ discipled his followers, a pattern emerges. He applied different methods but the heart and purpose—the principles—behind the method is consistent. These are the principles behind discipleship:

     1.Discipleship is personal. It’s always tailored and customized to the individual and their own unique journey of growth. Their path of discipleship must fit them… otherwise it’s like David in Saul’s armor. 

     2.Discipleship is relational. It’s always done in connection with other people: never alone. One can never disciple oneself. 

     3.Discipleship is intentional. It’s never accidental, but on-purpose. There is a direction and flow of energy in that direction: toward fullness in Christ. 

     4.Discipleship is consistent. It’s constant over time, not one-and-done. “A long obedience in the same direction,” as Eugene Peterson put it. 

     5.Discipleship is Spirit-led. The Holy Spirit must lead the process because we don’t know ahead of time where he wants to take us or what specifically he wants us to do. There is no prefab template to follow; what we need to follow is the in-the-moment leading of the Holy Spirit. 

     6.Discipleship is outcome-focused. Obedience takes precedence over knowledge as we move more and more towards forming the character of Christ and the following the mission of Christ. What matters is what we do with it. 

    Consider: can you find any exceptions? Any instances in which the above items were not an essential component of discipleship?

Methodologies Measured by Principles

Principles never change. Methods can and should change. If you are doing discipleship the way it’s always been done or you are not experiencing growth, it’s time to take a hard look at effectiveness of your discipleship methods. People change. Cultures change. Context changes. If you are serious about living out the Great Commission, you have to ensure your discipleship methods are effectively reaching your community.

Take an honest look at your current discipleship methodologies by holding them up to the timeless principles. Here are some examples of low, average, and high effectiveness in each principle. Where does your discipleship program land?

Discipleship is personal.

•(L) If people are involved in our ministries we assume that they are growing as disciples.

•(A) We have a linear discipleship program. Everyone starts in the same place and follows the same path.

•(H) We meet people where they are at and help them determine and take their next best step toward Jesus.

Discipleship is relational.

•(L) We don’t have intentional, personal discipleship conversations.

•(A) We have some mature Christians who meet one-on-one to disciple others.

•(H) Our congregants have healthy relationships inside and outside of the church. People are growing as disciples while making more disciples.

Discipleship is intentional.

•(L) We seek to address discipleship needs through sermons and curriculum.

•(A) A high percentage of our people attend a small group.

•(H) We equip people to discern and live into their gifts and calling.

Discipleship is consistent.

•(L) Discipleship relationships tend to fall apart without ongoing staff involvement.

•(A) Our church has rhythms for classes and small groups that address discipleship.

•(H) We continually help people engage in their spiritual formation and build redemptive relationships.

Discipleship is Spirit-led.

•(L) We stick to a curriculum based approach to discipleship.

•(A) When the Spirit provides a word that directly speaks to someone we don’t follow up on it.

•(H) We discern the promptings of the Holy Spirit and maintain focus until the vision becomes reality.

Discipleship is outcome-focused.

•(L) Church is a come and see model. We provide solid biblical teaching for those who enter our doors.

•(A) We have a solid mission statement but only a few are actively engaged pursuing that mission.

•(H) We have stated goals and objectives that relate directly to the Great Commandments and Great Commission. We regularly assess our methodologies and adapt them for greater effectiveness.

Principle-based Discipleship Programs

Where did you come out? A good way to check your answers is to measure the overall fruit produced. If you landed on the Low side, your church has likely plateaued or even experiencing slow decline. If you determined you are Average, you likely have a solid core group of people who are close to one another. Growth is slow and mostly church transfers. However, if you are seeing new people come to Christ and people are experiencing lasting transformation, it’s safe to confirm you are indeed on the High end of discipleship programming.

Wherever you land, it’s always good to make sure your methods—and your people—are solidly formed in discipleship principles.

In what ways can you ensure that each of the principles listed above remains present and central in the discipleship process used by your ministry? What methods or trends are you including in your discipleship process are no longer working? How can you better connect them to the discipleship principles?

Resources

The Discipleship Difference– Are you frustrated with your discipleship efforts? Are you noticing an imbalance between personal growth as a disciple and passing it on? The Discipleship Difference lays out an intentional, holistic, and relational approach to discipleship. It is simple in structure and flexible enough to meet each person wherever they are and help them take their next best step in their relationship with God.

Guide for Discipling- Ready for serious growth as a disciple of Christ? This scripture-based guide will challenge you to take the next steps. This nonlinear guide is great for personal study but better done in community with others. Grab a couple of people to walk through this guide together to experience transformation. Available for the Lutheran, Vineyard, and Episcopal church cultures as well.

The post Discipleship Principles vs. Methodology appeared first on Logan Leadership.

 Copyright © 2022 Robert E. Logan, All rights reserved.

Secular:  “The goal is not to be liked, it's to be respected.”— Unknown

Evanlogicals:  Just want to be good and faithful servants.

Secular:  “Albert Camus noted that ‘integrity has no need of rules’, an observation lamentably in stark conflict with the leadership of today’s American institutions, be they political, governmental, commercial, educational, community, charitable or spiritual.”— Coe D. Behr, Southern humorist, critic and canophilist

Evanlogically:  We all need rules.  For all have debauched and fall short of the Integrity of God.  Romans 3:23… kinda sorta.

Secular:  “Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.”— C.S. Lewis, (1898-1963)

Evanlogically:  Getting over religion and coming to Faith is so painful because the monkey bars are made of bricks, mortar, liturgy, ritual and tradition.

There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. 

A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.

1 Corinthians 12:5, 7 NLT

Christ’s church exists to worship Him.

     He is glorified when his children sing his praises wholeheartedly. 

     Humbling ourselves in his Presence—

          we acknowledge that God is our Creator and Master;

          we submit to his guidance and sincerely follow his lead;

          we thank him for rich blessings He showers on us day by day;

          we honor his name in our words, thoughts, and actions.

     We exalt Christ above everything, avoiding false gods of the heart. 

Christ’s church is designed to provide fellowship for his family.

     No saint should declare emotional independence from other saints.

     Every member needs help from other members—no one is an island.

     Jesus’ sheep flock together—love for him unifies and cheers our hearts. 

     God blesses his people with a kaleidoscope of gifts to build each other up. 

     We encourage others, showing sincere and loving interest in them.

Christ’s church is a school for his students.

     Disciples have different experiences, personalities and abilities;

          but we share one common need—to grow up in faith and grace.  

     Studying God’s’ Word, we try to live by the Book in our everyday lives. 

     Walking in God’s Light, we take one step at a time in life’s journey. 

     Reflecting on God’s Law, we obey his orders and set the pace for others.

     We educate all who enroll in Jesus University—there’s a lot to learn. 

Christ’s church is commissioned to share the best news every announced.

     Jesus died for the world’s sins so people wouldn’t have to experience hell.

     He rose again from the grave so people could be free from fear of dying. 

     Sowing Gospel seed in tears, we celebrate the harvest in joyful triumph.   

     We evangelize the world with a sense of urgency—time is ticking away.

Christ’s church is called to minister to others in his name.

     Our mission field is the world—compassion for others marks his servants. 

     Heartless service is useless service—love alone makes the difference.

     Shouldering our cross in the shadows of our Master, we serve the world. 

     We love beyond stained-glass windows—Christianity is made for the road.

 



                                           © Johnny R. Almond

                              Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

GUEST POST: A New Call for Extraordinary Prayer

GUEST POST ~ New Prayers for a New Year

• Make time.
• Practice quiet listening.​ ​
• Express trust that God knows all the things you are not saying with a simple one-word prayer​.
• Declare hope that as you submit your mind/thinking, the Word of the Lord will come to you to reveal truths about yourself and the circumstances you are facing.

Be That Person!

For Your Family. Ministry. City

Why? #Reimagne...

GUEST POST~ #ReimagineCHURCH... As A Society of Redeemers

Francis Frangipane

There exists a certain degree of hypocrisy among us. What I mean is, without qualms, we condemn the world for not being Christian, yet without remorse we accept we are not Christlike.

I am not saying we shouldn't cry out against evil; sin exists and we must reprove it. However, at some point we must recognize there is more to our destiny than judging sin. God is looking for the perfection of mercy within us. "Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13), and to follow Christ is to walk the path of mercy toward full redemption.

Recall the words of Paul. He tells us to "have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). He goes on to explain that Christ existed in the form of God, yet He emptied Himself, took the form of a man, and died for our sins. In other words, He saw the need, but instead of condemning man, He died for man. Paul says we are to have this same attitude in us.

I do not want to be a typical American Christian. I am hungry for more. I want to "grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head [of the church], even Christ" (Eph. 4:15). Our call is to attain "the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ" (v. 13).

Jesus said, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you" (John 20:21). As Christ was sent into the world to pay the price for sin, so in following Him we become a society of redeemers. When wounded, we forgive; when forced to go one mile, we go two. We bless those who curse us and turn the other cheek to those who strike us. As Christ hung on the cross at Calvary and prayed, "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34), so we stand before God, and on behalf of our sinful world, we pray the mercy prayer as well.

I am convinced that the more Christlike the church becomes, the greater will be the backing of Heaven. The more we become a society of redeemers, the more hope we have to see our nation turned back to God.

Adapted from Francis Frangipane's ebook, Spiritual Discernment and the Mind of Christ available in ebook format at www.arrowbookstore.com

Sharing faith in Christ.  How do we begin?

Well, how do we start sharing math with pre-kindergarten children?

“OK, boys and girls, open your “Calculus for Everyday Use” text book to page 316.”

There was no pre-school back in 1951.  When I started school in “grade 0” in 1953, the teacher asked us how high could we count.  She didn’t even use a book.

So, how do we start sharing Christian faith with pre-believer children of God?

“Friend, look here in the Bible.  See what it says in John 3:16.”

Christianity is straight forward and simple.  YES!  SIMPLE!

Heaven is perfect.  Are you perfect?  Can you rectify all your flaws going back to your birth to make yourself perfect? Other theologies state that all one needs to get to Heaven is more good deeds than bad. Is that perfection? How could Heaven be perfect if imperfection is allowed to enter?

Put away “The Book” for later use.  Start with counting… and Who can be counted on.

It is said that there is an ongoing Spiritual war [herein after War].  Sometimes, as a Christian, it sure feels that way, especially around the end of the calendar year.

In  the mid-fourth century, the organized church set December 25^th as the official date Christianity was to celebrate the birth of Christ.  There was gestation math at the time that supported this date.

This was just at the end of the Roman holiday, Saturnalia (also Yuletide or winter solstice celebration).  Saturn was thought of as the god of agriculture – think food and grapes.  And, oh, could those Romans party!  The organized church hoped to gain a foothold for Christianity by celebrating Christ’s Birth during this festival.

The first Christmas ship had sailed.  The War was engaged.

Rather early in the 6^th century, Christmas became an official civil (secular) holiday.  This was the first battle the organized church lost.

For a few years early in the 17^th century, the church that had rebelled against the organized church banned the celebration of Christmas.  Did that rebelliously organizing church foresee the folly of this War?  They had the zeal to change the battle plan, but didn’t know what to offer.  It would take nearly three more centuries for that option to appear:  Worldwide Communion Day.

After this rebellion against Christmas, both organized churches fell back in line.  The second Christian battle loss.

The pagans and seculars, seizing this opportunity, escalated the War.  Giving and receiving presents had long been a tradition of the pagan’s December practices.  Later in the 19^th century, the gift giving Father Christmas was welcomed into Christian homes.  Battle loss number three for Christianity.

Christmas in the 20th century changed greatly from what it was in the 19^th. People still put up Christmas trees, a pagan tradition adopted by Christians before the 17^th century rebellion.  They filled stockings, and held holiday parties. What was the big difference?  Christmas became commercialized.  This was the fourth consecutive battle on behalf of Christ lost.

Throughout the 20^th century, the attrition on the Spiritual side spiraled out of control.  The holiday was celebrated as Xmas.  “They’ve taken Christ out of the picture,” was the church’s nearly inaudible battle cry.  Battle losses mounted to five.

Then, in the 21^st century, purveyors of the Holiday Shopping Season, as it is now known, dropped the big one.  Christmas shopping on the Internet.  No one even had to go to the mall anymore.  The fleet of Christmas ships that had been sailing since the 4^th century was decimated.  The War now seemed lost.

Yet some of the Christian ships are still afloat.  These remaining ships must be turned to safer waters.  It makes no sense to keep fighting to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25^th. That has been a losing battle for nearly 1800 years.

Let’s start Commemorating (why were we celebrating needing to have God “save our bacon” in the first place) the Birth of Christ on Worldwide communion day; the first Sunday in October.  This may look like a defeat to the non-Christian world.  For the sake of the Saving Grace offered through Christ, however, it would be a strategic retreat.

FREE EBOOK: INCENDIARY

A CODE TO ACCELERATE THE GREAT COMMISSION

Do you love Jesus? Do you embrace his Great Commission as an ideal but struggle in making it practical?

Incendiary fuses the utopian with the pragmatic. Authors André Togo and Stephen Court offer an incendiary code, a collection of principles they look to apply on their local fronts that can help you accelerate the advance of the Great Commission on yours.

The authors form a prophetically unique partnership, spanning continents, cultures, and communication in shared charisma and covenant toward completing the Great Commission.

They’ve synthesized extensive, ecumenical exposure along with profound, primitive Salvationist research and application, distilling it all into thirteen incendiary principles.

If you pass up on plunging into these pages, you forfeit an excuse for not forging forward in Salvation Life. If you read it, you will be equipped to be empowered to spread Jesus’ love through your world. 

FREE DOWNLOAD

Your partner in multiplication,The Exponential TeamCopyright © 2021 Exponential. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in or attended an Exponential event. 

This eBook is part of our FREE library of more than 80 eBooks by national leaders. Click here to download other eBooks.Right now—at this time in history—the church is poised to participate in an awakening. A moment when the Holy Spirit comes and empowers God’s people for more. What begins with holy dissatisfaction—“there must be more”—is fulfilled in a newfound empowerment to action. The same empowered commission promised to the first followers of Jesus is promised to us as well. In 2022, we’ll discover a growing awareness of the Spirit’s work and leadership while also realizing that we will always be more effective if we move with the Holy Spirit. Our goal is to help inspire and shape your paradigm for multiplication of Jesus' mission, connect you to a community of Kingdom activists, and equip you to turn ideas into action. We want to personally invite you to Empowered Orlando 2022—and also encourage you to check out our free online community where you can connect with like-minded Kingdom leaders!

For more information and to register for Exponential Orlando 2022, go to exponential.org/2022. Please let us know if there is more we can help you with today.

Guest Post ~ You Are Not Inerrant

“You must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” Physicist Richard Feynman

In Leo Tolstoy’s novel The Death of Ivan Ilych, the protagonist, Ivan Ilych, is a smart, competent attorney dying from an unknown cause. Tolstoy describes a scene in which Ivan has a sobering realization while gazing at his sleeping daughter, Gerasim.

“Ivan Ilych’s physical sufferings were terrible, but worse than the physical sufferings were his mental sufferings which were his chief torture.

“His mental sufferings were due to the fact that at night, as he looked at Gerasim’s sleepy, good-natured face with its prominent cheek-bones, the question suddenly occurred to him: ‘What if my whole life has been wrong?’

“It occurred to him that what had appeared perfectly impossible before, namely that he had not spent his life as he should have done, might after all be true.”

What a probing and hopefully troubling question.

We are all wrong. Both as individuals and collectively, we are wrong about many things.

As a species (homo sapiens), we are undoubtedly and currently doing things that are terribly wrong. Just look at some of the failings of the recent past.

• • Slavery in the United States was the legal institution of human chattel, primarily of Africans and African-Americans, that existed from our country’s founding in 1776 until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865 (only 250 years ago).
  • After 3,000 years of being considered a wise medical procedure, bloodletting has only recently—in the late 19th century—been discredited as a treatment for most ailments. America’s first president, George Washington, allegedly had 80 ounces of blood drained from his body in a last-ditch effort to save his life.

In the near and distant future, and for the rest of human history, humans will look with aghast at things we now consider normal and acceptable. What we accept as best-practices in the 21st century will be considered uninformed, unnecessary, even harmful, and wrong. (I’ll make a prediction: in the near future we will wonder why, in this modern era, health care was not readily available to every person on the planet.)

On a personal level, you and I are wrong about many things. There are specific areas of our lives that are wrong and need to change. 

• • • What if you have lived a self-centered life?
    • What if you have neglected your family?
    • What if you have not lived authentically?
    • What if you have pursued the wrong career?
    • What if you are racist?

When was the last time you admitted being wrong and revised your opinion accordingly? Know this: there are areas of your life in which you are wrong. If you think you’re an exception to this statement, your pushback betrays your naiveté, lack of self-awareness, and error.

The good news is, we can change. Thoreau said, “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life through conscious endeavor.”

Take an audit of your life; particularly consider areas in which you have a fixed mindset – areas that have been unassailable, uneditable, and beyond reproach. Also investigate areas that are part of your cultural heritage – ideologies that you inherited from your family and society. (Remember, you were not born with any opinions or beliefs; they’re not part of your DNA, you choose to endorse them.) Consider your blind spots; everyone has at least one. (You’ll need help you on this issue because you are…blinded…to your your blind spot.)

If taken seriously, this exploration could be one of the most significant and revealing events of your life.

We often think that if we admit we are wrong, people will think less of us. I think just the opposite; people will admire us. I’ll close with this story from Adam Grant’s book, Think Again (page 73).

“In the early 1990s, the British physicist Andrew Lyne published a major discovery in the world’s most prestigious science journal. He presented the first evidence that a planet could orbit a neutron star – a star that had exploded into a supernova. Several months later, while preparing to give a presentation at an astronomy conference, he noticed that he hadn’t adjusted for the fact that the Earth moves in an elliptical orbit, not a circular one. He was embarrassingly, horribly wrong. The planet he had discovered didn’t exist.

“In front of hundreds of colleagues, Andrew walked onto the ballroom stage and admitted his mistake. When he finished his confession, the room exploded in a standing ovation. One astrophysicist called it “the most honorable thing I’ve ever seen.”

Guest Post ~ Why Most Churches Need Revitalization 

Sam Rainer 

A need for revitalization does not necessarily mean an entire church is unhealthy. Even the healthiest of established churches have at least one area requiring work, if not several. Sometimes the entire church needs revitalization. In other cases, a particular area of the church needs revitalization.

In fact, the majority of established churches could use some degree of revitalization. Around 65% of churches are in plateau or decline. This one statistic reveals close to 7 out of 10 churches are in need of revitalization. Granted, a lack of growth does not mean the entire church is failing, but it does indicate something is missing—somewhere the church is deficient.

What happens to cause this problem? The reasons are numerous, and each church’s story is different. However, one key theme is simply the patterns a church develops over time. Established churches have established patterns. These congregations have a consistent (or established) schedule. They keep doing the same established programs year after year. Annual events become embedded into the culture. Such is the nature of an established church. But these patterns can create either a healthy movement or an unhealthy movement in the church.

Healthy established patterns create healthy churches. Unhealthy established patterns create unhealthy churches. Clearly, more churches have unhealthy patterns as compared with healthy patterns. The stats are undeniable. But I’ll dig deeper. There is more beneath the surface. Numerical declines are merely a symptom, not the root problem.

Pastors become comfortable. Status quo pastors have status quo churches. Once a church has accepted a pastor, it’s easy for that pastor to cruise. Change always comes with a level of risk. Shepherding is impossible detached from risk-taking. When pastors stop taking risks, churches become complacent.

Budgets get messy. Churches can go years without a budget strategy, creating a jumbled mess of operating line items and an endless list of designated accounts. I recently saw a church budget with a designated account for a cassette tape ministry. Church budgets are often the most common area in need of revitalization.

Ministries linger without purpose. Established patterns of programs are wonderful, until they stop working. Unfortunately, churches are guilty of hanging on to programs instead of desiring the fruit they produce. When the program itself is more important than the results, a church loses the purpose of ministry.

Facilities become cluttered and dated. Deferred maintenance has killed numerous ministers with good intentions. Neglected facilities become an albatross around the neck of many pastors. Even the best established churches often have closets full of junk—old trophies, dusty puppets, and binders of music from the 1970s. In severe cases, the entire campus has not been touched in decades.

Technology outpaces staff. When a church has established patterns and rhythms, the temptation is to neglect technology. In a lot of churches, a decade can pass before it becomes necessary to adopt new technology. Unfortunately, by then it’s often too late and staff are too far behind.

A church needing revitalization in one of these areas is not necessarily unhealthy. However, most established churches need help with at least one. When multiple areas of the church fall behind, the effects are compounded.

Being the Church: Witness

The Changing Face of Evangelism

Dave Robinson, the Executive Director of Church Movements at CRU, discusses the changing face of evangelism with host Gary Kendall. As our culture changes so must our vocabulary and strategies.

Pray-Care-Share

Be a Light for Christ